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Underdocumented Communities Collections

The AHC is committed to improving the diversity of its collections across the board, acknowledging that in most areas its holdings do not adequately reflect the multiculturalism of Wyoming, the region, or the US. In particular, the AHC has significant holdings that document African American and Hispanic organizations and churches in Wyoming. A full description of our collecting focus in this area can be found in our collecting policy.

Noteworthy Collections

Cheyenne's African Methodist Episcopal Church serves a black congregation. Dr C.B. Beamon was its pastor in the 1960s. The collection includes correspondence, church financial records, church notices, church minutes, papers on C.B. Beamon, an annual church guide, and a 1967 list of pastors and churches in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

The Latin American Club of Laramie (Wyo.) was a cultural resource for the Latin American population of Laramie between 1956 and 2004. Its records include official records, newspaper clippings, convention programs, photographs and some artifacts.

Hispanic Organization for Progress and Education (HOPE) Records

HOPE, also known as, the Hispanic Organization for Progress and Education, is a not-for-profit Wyoming organization that advocates for Hispanic education issues in the state.

The collection contains information about the events surrounding the murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student, in the fall of 1998. The material came from different sources, such as the news media, University President’s Office, and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Association (now Spectrum), and includes correspondence from people in many parts of the country, news articles, fliers and posters, editorials, bulletins, and speeches.

The collection is comprised of websites related to Matthew Shepard and the issues surrounding his murder in 1998. The 70 websites captured by the web-crawl reflect a broad and in-depth coverage of the Shepard murder, memorials, and efforts that address inequalities based on gender and sexual orientation.

The Second Baptist Church was organized in 1884 to serve Cheyenne, Wyoming's black Baptist residents. The collection includes financial records, records of member contributions, minutes, membership lists, and a 1936 Wyoming Baptist Survey.